Wind Generator Mount (on a budget)

[TMT2]

Wind Generator Mount on a budget “option”: Sharing a relatively inexpensive and simple way to mount a wind generator (or any other mast device). I contemplated this endeavor for while – couldn’t stomach the costs of a pre-fab or engineered mounting options ($700.00 or more)! We put our Marine Kenetics 450 on our aluminum mizzen mast using the following materials for a total cost of $ 182.97 (plus respective shipping of materials) and about 2 hours of self-labor with a drill, 3/8”tap, an allen wrench and a box-head wrench. The rig supports my weight (200 lbs) and does not vibrate. Picture included of the finished mount on the mizzen mast with the Wind Generator installed.


Materials:

1.5" NOM. (1.9" OD X 0.1" WALL X 1.7" ID) ALUMINUM 6101-T61 EXTRUDED PIPE SCHEDULE 40 from onlinemetals.com.....This company will cut to your specified length but the tube is easily cut with a skill-saw. I used 4 x 4ft lengths for the mount legs (trimming the primary and stalk legs to 32” for my specific blade span).


Aluminum fittings (1.5” for hand railing) from nurail.com – These fittings have allen-head set screws to hold the tubing (I notched the tube ends for each contact point:
- #3-8 90 Degree Elbow - 1-1/2in (2 ea) …………….. $ 15.26 ea
- #11-8 Side Outlet Tee - 1-1/2in (1 ea)…..............$ 20.58 ea
- #47-8 Rectangular Base Flange - 1-1/2in (1 ea) ..$ 14.63 ea
- #41-8 Adjustable Flange - 1-1/2in (2 ea) ………... $ 19.16 ea


Bolts/washers from Lowes:
- 3/8 x 1 ½(L) Stainless Hex Head Bolt (course thread) (10 ea)… $ 1.12 ea
- 3/8 stainless washers (10 ea)… $ 0.30 ea


King Board (Spacer) shaped to fit forward edge of mast curve for the rectangular flange above) 2” x 4” x 3/4” (scrap on hand).


Hopefully someone will find this experiment/discovery useful? I have already seen 56 knot winds with this rig with no issues - the Marine Kenetics Generator has a hysteric brake that slows the blades above 30 knots. I am starting our TRACPHONE and TRACVISION dome mount projects using this technique.

[TMT2]

...as promised - photos of the same mounting technique for the "girls"...our KVH Tracphone and KVH SAT TV units.

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